fear of driving?

[becness]

is anybody else out there scared of driving a car?

i once had a bad panic attack while driving and since then i won't drive far and flip out at the mere thought of driving somewhere i don't know, or in traffic.

[downunder]

I touched on this in another post just now but will add it again here, I was beginning to feel my driving days were coming to an end, but mainly from the aggressive nature on our roads, it is the aggressiveness my mind can't cope with in any form, I am in a place now where people are actually still human and I enjoy driving again

[Bruce]

driving used to turn me very nasty agro like i was trying to win on playstation or something
"if all these f#@&heads drove like me then there would be no traffic problems" waving fist in air

but then i discovered the whole ipodie headphone thing...its a balancing act between volume and still being able to hear ambulances in rearview mirror etc but these days i actually look forward to driving so i can flick on some cool tunes and chill...i'm no longer in a rush...its way better than the radio which has even become a little annoying with the witty banter/ads/inane songs

headphones! oh yeah

[becness]

see if there were no other cars out there, i wouldn't have an issue.

might try the headphone thing!

[downunder]

see if there were no other cars out there, i wouldn't have an issue.

Baby steps, get this new fiance of yours to take you for a romantic picnic in the country, and start back up nice and easy 

[Bruce]

^^^ now THERE is a rock'n idea

[downunder]

Hey folks, need to take a bit of time out, just started anxiety meds that as suspected are compounding my fatigue even more, plus my own website has been under so much attack from spammers I have been locking it down everytime I can't watch it.
I will keep an eye on things here but won't log in so much for a bit, if the spammers think it's not being used they think they have an easy target.
becness, if you want a copy of the latest 20 or 30 IP ranges I have had to block let me know and you can add them to your list here.
Maybe time to chase up a few that haven't posted for a while and see how they are all travelling? if we don't look out for each other, no one else will.

[sandym]

Hey everyone,

I saw this title and it did take me by surprise - like wow,  I'm not the only one !

I have this problem big time.  I also have that fear of leaving the house - what's it called
agoraphobia or something....

Honestly I avoid driving as much as I can. For the last 5 years I have only done a 5 kms
circuit - shopping centre and back, that's it.  Even for that I have to mentally prepare
for a day or more beforehand.  Gone are the days of driving to the city or beach.
If I have to go further I catch a bus or train instead.

I'm forever making excuses to the kids about how mummy's car isn't working properly.
Even just going down the road freaks me out.

And this is coming from a once "rev head" - first off the mark, foot down all the way,
no fear, handle everything.  What happened to my confidence ?

I seem to be scared of a lot of things now - especially heights.  Is it just old age or is it these stupid drugs we have to take

[becness]

oh wow, it's SOOOOO good knowing someone else is like that with driving!! just the thought of it makes me flip out.  and today i have to renew my license - i let it expire, cept the future husband caught on and is taking me down there.  no test or anything, but life would be so much easier without it... then i wouldnt have to make excuses!

[sandym]

Hi Becness,

Nice to meet you !.

Bravo for going to get your license renewed !  Your husband-to-be sounds very mindful.

I am glad that you don't have to sit a test again. That in itself would put me off.

I have tried to analyze why I have become so fearful of driving but still can't find a valid
reason.  Sure I have broken down on the middle of the freeway a few times, sure I have
had those huge huntsmen spiders in my car, sure I have encountered crazy drivers -
but I could deal with all that before.

I honestly think I have become paranoid about so many things just in the last 4 years or
so - since being diagnosed.  That is why I wonder if it could be the meds ?  Or is it just
part and parcel of this disorder ?.

Well I wish you successful baby steps, and I said before, it's so comforting to know I
am not the only one !

Take care
Sandy





 
 

[becness]

nice to meet you too sandy!

ah yes... the arachnids in car.  that is probably part of it since i'm seriously arachnophobic!  i nearly drove my car into a barrier going on the freeway one day cos one of them ran up my bloody windscreen.

i had one ON my car a few months ago and nearly killed this woman at coles cos she comes over and is all "oh it's only a spider" then uses a reciept to nudge it.  it then ran down the door and god knows where.  stupid interfering cow.

maybe it's a control thing?  while you can control the car, you can't control the idiots around you.  i have utterly no problem when there is no other cars around.  i'm perfectly calm, in control etc.  but as soon as there is traffic (even if it's very minimal) i flip out.  just something to consider.

[sandym]

Hi Becness,

Yes - if only I had the streets to myself and didn't have to anticipate every crazy drivers' move !

And yes - that huntsmen is not gone until it's squished under your foot - they can live in your
car for weeks and squeeze through the door cracks at any time. I found it a little embarrassing
when an older lady had to come to my rescue and remove one for me. I had to wait 20mins before
my heart had calmed down and I was ready to drive home, in utter panic all the way !

But spiders and crazy drivers aside, I am still apprehensive. I am always fearful of the car breaking
down (as has happened many times) and whereas my main worry should be about the cost of repairs,
it's actually more about confronting others and asking for help and feeling "exposed".  Can you relate
to that at all ?  I will go to any lengths to avoid contact with "strangers".

I do think I am rather paranoid as well, or I don't know how to describe this compelling feeling that I
will not be able to resist the urge to purposely crash.  I have the same feeling when I am walking over
a bridge or in a high rise building to jump out. No I'm not suicidal anymore, and it scares the crap out
of me.  My pysch said it's a feature of bipolar  - is it ? Anyone else have these feelings ?

Take care
Sandy

 

[becness]

its so strange reading these posts sometimes.. I sit there and think to myself 'i am not normal. I shouldnt think the things i do, what is wrong with me?' and then i read these and its like somebody else is reading my mind...

I can relate completely!!!!!!

[becness]

except for spider under foot. As IF i am going to give that hairy fucker an opportunity to run up my leg, burrow into my thigh and eat me from the inside out!!!

[charliemaree]

OMG im not alone!!! Damn im starting to feel "normal" in here hahahaha whatever that is. Spiders, traffic, insane drivers, madness, chaos, confusing blurs of faces oh hell yeah I COMPLETELY GET IT!!!!!

PS why is it that only the bigest, nastiest and most scariest of all spiders take up residence in your bloody car??? Is it like some law and the spiders line up for car intrusion school and its like you, you, you, nope your only a teeny spider get lost, i mean WTF???